Keeping a big family healthy.

[mommyoffive]

How do you keep your big family healthy? 

 

 

UGH  I thought we were out of the woods, it being spring and good weather.  We have had a really bad year of sickness.   When I see one kid sick I just cry because I know we are all going to get it. 

 

So what do you do to keep your big family healthy? 

 

Tips or tricks? 

 

 

 

[Carrie12345]

I just stay thankful for the years nothing hits too hard, lol.

 

The year of the swine flu was THE worst!

[Guest]

Lots of hand sanitizer. I used to keep a large jug of it next to the front door. Whenever we walked into the house, we used it. Also kept one in the car to use every time we got into the car. It really does help.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Kinsa

[busymama7]

Is it cold type sickness or stomach flu? Probably both. 😒

 

We have completely tackled the stomach flu thing which makes the cold type stuff easier to deal with. They aren't as miserable and messy as when 5-8 people are puking. Or more 😫

 

Anyways, we haven't stopped the little kids from picking it up but we have totally stopped it from spreading with raw ACV. I put 1 T in a quart of water with a true lime or true lemon drink flavoring packet. Fill to the top with ice and water and sip. Those who like it (about 1/2 of mine) get their own jar to sip on all day. Those who hate it have to have 8 oz 2x a day. Since we started this we have never had the big spread beyond the first little one who picked it up. Including at an extended family thanksgiving where all the other families were hit and the nieces who had been sharing a bed with my daughter BOTH got it. None of my kids got it.

 

I've stopped it from starting in those old enough to tell me they think it's coming on with the same trick. You can't just take a shot of ACV to get it over with 😕. It's too harsh and doesn't work. Ask my teen. He was miserable. The slow and steady thing does work though.

 

I wondered at first if it was a coincidence but we are on about 6 times of this and it can't be. We used to get the bugs 1-3 times a year and everyone would catch it, even me. It was horrible. Now? Totally manageable to care for one and make the others drink up the ACV.

 

Vitamin D supplement seems to help in the winter. My dh hands out vitamin C like candy when we start in with cold stuff but I've never thought it helped significantly.

Edited May 18, 2017 by busymama7

[happi duck]

When I was a public school teacher my class of 25 was healthiest through outbreaks of different things. The only difference I saw is that I had my students wash hands frequently.

 

(This was before hand sanitizer.)

[IfIOnly]

Handwashing or sanitizer directly after every outing and not eating before handwashing if recently out, like no eating a free cookie from the bakery or lunch from the drive thru after shopping. There will be germs all over hands from opening doors, paying, carts, etc.

Edited May 19, 2017 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[Shellydon]

We've rarely get sick.  Here is what we do:  Every kid takes a bath and washes hair every single night.  Clothes are only worn once then washed.  Sheets washed weekly, towels 3 times a week.  Hand sanitizer in the car.  Lots of fresh fruit and veggies, lots of outside time in the sun.  For the last two years, we've had 1 kid get a stomach virus, 1 get tonsillitis and 2 get some sort of cold/upper respiratory infection.

[athomeontheprairie]

In additionn to the above, I keep sick kids quarantined (yes, I did know that's hard. My house is tiny (under 1,000 square ft) I have six kids and 3 adults. It can be done.

Wash all towels, wash rags, etc at the first signs. Bedding once it's past.

 

Wash hands often.

[Sugarfoot]

We keep a tub of Sani-hands in the car. Whenever we get back in, everyone uses them. 

Showers every night.

No shoes in the house.

Zinc.

Frequent sanitizing of all light switches, door handles and faucets.

 

Two of my kids have immune deficiencies, so we do everything we can. It's still not enough some times. 

[Artichoke]

We do a lot of what pp suggest. We also run toothbrushes through the dishwasher each week.

[mommyoffive]

Is it cold type sickness or stomach flu? Probably both. 😒

 

We have completely tackled the stomach flu thing which makes the cold type stuff easier to deal with. They aren't as miserable and messy as when 5-8 people are puking. Or more 😫

 

Anyways, we haven't stopped the little kids from picking it up but we have totally stopped it from spreading with raw ACV. I put 1 T in a quart of water with a true lime or true lemon drink flavoring packet. Fill to the top with ice and water and sip. Those who like it (about 1/2 of mine) get their own jar to sip on all day. Those who hate it have to have 8 oz 2x a day. Since we started this we have never had the big spread beyond the first little one who picked it up. Including at an extended family thanksgiving where all the other families were hit and the nieces who had been sharing a bed with my daughter BOTH got it. None of my kids got it.

 

I've stopped it from starting in those old enough to tell me they think it's coming on with the same trick. You can't just take a shot of ACV to get it over with 😕. It's too harsh and doesn't work. Ask my teen. He was miserable. The slow and steady thing does work though.

 

I wondered at first if it was a coincidence but we are on about 6 times of this and it can't be. We used to get the bugs 1-3 times a year and everyone would catch it, even me. It was horrible. Now? Totally manageable to care for one and make the others drink up the ACV.

 

Vitamin D supplement seems to help in the winter. My dh hands out vitamin C like candy when we start in with cold stuff but I've never thought it helped significantly.

 

 

This time it is a cold, but we had the stomach flu in Feb.  That was rough.  

 

What is ACV?  Do you use it for colds or stomach bugs?

[mommyoffive]

In additionn to the above, I keep sick kids quarantined (yes, I did know that's hard. My house is tiny (under 1,000 square ft) I have six kids and 3 adults. It can be done.

Wash all towels, wash rags, etc at the first signs. Bedding once it's past.

 

Wash hands often.

 

How do you do this?  I mean I know how in reality.  But a lot of mine are little and don't stay on their own for long.  I doubt they could make it a day. 

[Melissa in Australia]

wipe bathroom door handle and sink taps every few hours.

[Upennmama]

We've rarely get sick. Here is what we do: Every kid takes a bath and washes hair every single night. Clothes are only worn once then washed. Sheets washed weekly, towels 3 times a week. Hand sanitizer in the car. Lots of fresh fruit and veggies, lots of outside time in the sun. For the last two years, we've had 1 kid get a stomach virus, 1 get tonsillitis and 2 get some sort of cold/upper respiratory infection.

This made me chuckle. I am sure this works for you. However my 8 rarely get sick and we aren't great hsndwashers, we re-wear clothing, we don't bathe a lot, they play in mud and grime a lot, and don't even ask about changing sheets. I claim hygiene hypothesis. :)

[happypamama]

Wash hands.

No public water fountains.

If water isn't available, use hand sanitizer (I use a homemade version) when out.

Up the Vitamin D.

[Guest]

Hand washing!

[TABmom]

This made me chuckle. I am sure this works for you. However my 8 rarely get sick and we aren't great hsndwashers, we re-wear clothing, we don't bathe a lot, they play in mud and grime a lot, and don't even ask about changing sheets. I claim hygiene hypothesis. :)

I only have 3 kids, but this is us too. I had strep last week. When I went to the doc, she said everyone in the house was going to get it, but no one else did. My kids are constantly drinking after each other and me and I'm not very good about having them wash their hands when we get home. I think I'm just so bad at it, that they've developed great immune systems. Although, I think if we were prone to getting sick, I'd be more on top of the clean thing.

[IfIOnly]

How do you do this? I mean I know how in reality. But a lot of mine are little and don't stay on their own for long. I doubt they could make it a day.

Bribe them with no school for the school age kids, watching movies on DVD all day, and special snacks.

[busymama7]

This time it is a cold, but we had the stomach flu in Feb. That was rough.

 

What is ACV? Do you use it for colds or stomach bugs?

Oh sorry. What I described is for the stomach flu. It is apple cider vinegar. Raw with the mother. Like Braggs brand although there are others.

[busymama7]

I only have 3 kids, but this is us too. I had strep last week. When I went to the doc, she said everyone in the house was going to get it, but no one else did. My kids are constantly drinking after each other and me and I'm not very good about having them wash their hands when we get home. I think I'm just so bad at it, that they've developed great immune systems. Although, I think if we were prone to getting sick, I'd be more on top of the clean thing.

But I really think there is something to naturally building the immune system. Not to the point of living in filth but I wonder about living in sterility and if that is good in the long run.

[Ausmumof3]

We have times like that! And we are only five...

 

Spring is the worst time and I think there some research backing this up. Everyone's vit d is at its lowest, and the warmth allows germs to reproduce more easily I guess. Plus people start getting out and about more and circulate stuff.

 

We don't have any great solutions though Sambucol seems to be good for colds here. I also have found that with vomiting if the sick person is confined to one bedroom and bathroom recovery is quicker.

 

So I'd open up all the windows you can to circulate fresh air, get everyone out of doors as much as possible and ride it out.

[6packofun]

Practicing good hygiene more than usual when anyone gets sick because normally we are NOT neat freaks--AND having the sick ones quarantine themselves!  I'm serious.  I do thorough washing and cleaning of surfaces, keep the sick people in one place, well-ventilated if possible, and sort of play maid a bit in order to contain it.  We've had several times where 1-2 of the 8 of us have gotten sick and no one else came down with the bug!  We do some vitamin C and various things for everyone at the time but we really don't get sick a lot. For a stomach bug, we always use Occillococcinum.

 

Dd22 gets sick the most of any of us because she works at a grocery store as a cashier and handles stuff/money all day.

[BarbecueMom]

We cut down on illness drastically when we quit eating food that other people prepared. The reason for that change was a positive celiac test, but the decrease in germs was a nice bonus. SIL once worked a shift at Subway where everyone working had 102+ degree fevers and the flu. Ewww.

[Shellydon]

This made me chuckle. I am sure this works for you. However my 8 rarely get sick and we aren't great hsndwashers, we re-wear clothing, we don't bathe a lot, they play in mud and grime a lot, and don't even ask about changing sheets. I claim hygiene hypothesis. :)

 

Oh, mine play in the mud and dirt constantly.  We also clean up horse, chicken and donkey poop from a barn regularly.  They get plenty dirty.  But, I truly believe that cleaning up well after people germs is what keeps everyone well.